I remember when this happened, I am still to this day saddened by the loss of these 29 men and their families left without husbands, fathers, and sons. RIP to you brave men, 29 rings of the bell to remember you.
I've only got to watch these massive freighters move down the bays,I'm always in awe.If I could live my over,it'd be on one of these,I'd be right at home,working hard.God Bless the Fitz and God Bless the men and women who command these ships.
Thanks for this great tribute to the men and the ship. Being 47 years old, I remember when she sank. It really was sad. I go to Duluth MN from time to time, since I live near Minnapolis it' s only a 3 hour drive to Duluth.I realize Lake Supirior is nothing to screw around with, it truely is a fresh water ocean! Thanks again!!!
@tuthill99 That line didnt need to be changed, the line "at 7 p.m a main hatchway caved in" was changed to "at 7pm it grew dark it was then he said fellas its bin good to know ya" because the families of the crew thought that it portrayed the sinking as the crews fault
Saw Gordon last night. Still kickin at 73 :) This song always moves me. Real stories and real tragedy. It is amazing that all the power we humans think we have and most every time we battle Nature we lose.
I don't know how many times I've heard this song, but this video brought a whole new perspective on the tragedy. My heart goes out to the families after all these years. Thank You.
There's a quiet resolve to this song that makes it more of a homage to those lost than a pop tune. It's a testament to the power of music. Job well done Mr Lightfoot, God bless.
My Grandpa was in the Coast Guard and he watched the Fitzgerald leave and waved to the cook not to later they got a call that it was going down they tried to get out to water but the lake wouldnt give up her dead and my grandpa was forced not to help. I live in Wisconsin and he tells me this story ever Nov 11 and it get me every time.
if only more people would sit up and just listen to the words. i served in the USN and i can truly appreciate every one of the words in this song, because there's truth to it!!
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours? The searchers all say they'd have made White Fish Bay if they'd put fifteen more miles behind her."
That part makes my stomach clench everytime I hear it...
This is one of the most Chilling shipping disasters of the last quarter of the 20th century...Made more horrific that it was tracked on Radar and there was nothing anyone could do about it. This song still gives me the chills!
I was in the Navy in 1990, my ship was off the coast of Oregon when one of the choppers from the air det was 600 yards off our stern. Our Sr chief corpman said smoke started pouring from the starboard engine, then the craft flipped over and hit the water and sank like brick. All three crewmen were lost. Talk about a very hollow feeling.
RIP to the crew from HSL43 and the EFG. Far winds and following seas.
I was a freshman at Lake Superior State University the night the Fitz sank. I have never seen a storm like that in my life. Not even 30 + years later. I still get goosebumps when I here this song. You couldnt even walk agains the wind on campus......What a night, what a song.
Our friends from school lost their father on this ship.Russell G. Haskell,40 second assistant engineer.Millbury,Ohio his son's name " our classmate & our friend name" Larry. Haskell he attended Genoa Area school district.Genoa,Oh. Not to long after they lost their father the Haskells home caught fire.We lost contact with Larry his older sister & mother over the yrs, not sure what ever happened to them. I have always wondered if any of them have ever watched this video. RIP Captain & Crew.
I have seen this video countless times..... on of the best videos on the Tube! I have no idea how u managed to get all this footage unless ur in the production end of the news biz?? But I hope this stays up a long time!
...the news of the Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking after arriving at my girlfriend's parents' house at almost 10 pm. that night. I was amazed by the violence of that storm and wasn't surprised by the sinking of any ship on the lakes that night, looking back from a distance of over 36 years now, what stands out to me was my luck, or rather, my guardian angel who helped me make it through that storm that others unfortunately perished in.
On November 10th, 1975 This ex-marine was on leave and heading to visit his girlfriend in Willowdale, Ontario from Canton,Ohio. Although the day started partly sunny and mild by the time I was crossing the Niagara Peninsula that evening the wind was blowing in excess of 40 miles an hour and a torrential downpour was falling. My 1973 Gremlin was being pushed of the highways by the strong northwest crosswind and several times I almost wrecked but by the grace of God I made it and then learned...
Gordon Lightfoot did well when he brought this event to national light. Else, it would have likely been forgotten like yesterday's car crash. His complex work of art to produce a statement of fact should never be received as just a song. It should warn our kids, and mean many things. Who and where are we? Where are we going? What do we want to become? Let's all buy and build and trash ever bigger and bigger and bigger? Or maybe think about it. Just saying... Although, extinction is permanent.
The only time that the light went out off whitefishpointe in michigan, was the night the ship went down, but even if the light had been on and the diaphone screaming out it still would not have saved her for it was the waves and loose bulkheads that did her in. still the song is haunting like an old sea chanty, it was even sadder though she was the largest freighter on the greatlakes at the time she was built but size could not save her.
That might have been what done her the fatal blow, but I heard loose bulkheads that were not watertight got water in her first, that is according to the history channel.
I am from Wisconsin and i was a little boy when this happened.Gordon put a twist on this that has always haunted my soul.... There will never be a song , ever this good !!!!!
Truly haunting. It's one of those songs that just sort of stuns you into silence. Of all of Gordon Lightfoot's great songs, none are more stirring and poignant.
BTW if you go to to Tobermory and then take the MS Chi-Cheemaun to Manitoulin island and some where on that island in a store but a good store there is a painting of the Edmund Fitzgerald $70. i got the smaller thing of the boat all show it some time on my channel.
I watched it again this morning, and I must admit I cried - so sad. I realize it wasn't the Titanic with 1500+ souls lost, but, nevertheless they were people. And she went down so dang fast - holy crap! Thanks again for the AWESOEME video!!!
Truly haunting, for it echoed through out the church. But this experience was what I took with me to my parents funeral the following year. Thanks Dad!! I love and miss you!!
When I was 20, My father, a 21 year veteran of Naval Service, had our family gather together to attend the funeral services for these men in the Old Mariners Church in downtown Detroit.It was the most honorable service I have ever attended and what has stuck with me all these years, was the bell, the way it rang through the church, and yes.. once for every man who went down on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
I was 8 years old when I first heard this song. My friend's mom performed it for our second grade class. Over twenty years later, and I still can't forget how haunting the song sounds to me.
I'll never forget when that date, I was celebrating my 26th Birthday when heard the news I asked everyone to please lets have a moment of silence, you could hear a pin drop, my prayers to the families, its a birthday I wont forget
I'm going to be truthful here. I don't like the song. If someone else sang it maybe, maybe a different tune, i don't know. Yet, I love the song. The meaning I mean. Who it's dedicated to and all
oh aye, rocketman. what a Godawful sad song. We had the filming of the Perfect Storm used one of our local boats, to star as the fishing boat captained by Billy Tyne. They gave a special screening here in Manahawkin, all the salty old sea skippers were there and not a dry eye in the house
To think people still search for this song after 35 years shows what a classic haunting song this is. Fantastic clip. Well done. RIP to the crew and condolences to those left behind. Wierd tho how I woke at 4.50 am with this song in my head?? Just hope its not a premonition on how this year will be!!
@oneleggedspider When I was a child I would cry hysterically everytime I would hear this song. I remember having this overwhelming feeling of my parents having died. I would be inconsolable for hours and wouldn't let my parents out of my sight. The words are difficult to understand, so I don't think I could have been upset by the story being told. I definitely was too young to comprehend the actual news of the wreck around that time. Just one of those unexplainable things.
i was a div 1 deck hand,seaman.i seen a man get cut into by a 4 inch marlin tightened and pulled apart whipping about like the devil himself,we were refueling from a uss navy oiler.both ships rolled to its far sides and king neptune made a appearance.i am a silver shellback that knows the mysteries of the seas ,my freind died on died in 3 minutes,the choppy seas did not matter,it was the deep drink for him,we buried him at sea.the whole crew of 218 men were on deck crying dressed in our whites
Now, I always loved Gordon Lightfoot's material. However, I was quite embarrassed to find out a few years ago that this song was not just a great piece of writing, that it was based on a true event. It's funny how certain details of favortie songs and/or films escape you when you're young.
i live in the east i have a snowcrab gear i got a 45 foot boat with a top deck. and i take in 23000lbs at a time witch is pushing it. my love go's too all the family's. HOPE THE FISH LORDS TREAT THEM GOOD. if knot let me know
If you get the chance, visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point on the Upper peninsula of Michigan. The Edmund Fitzgerald's bell is there. The only artifact removed from the wreck site. (it was replaced with a bell engraved with the names of the 29 lost)
There is a Chipmunks version in recommended videos? hey make me wanna cry ): The Midwest and the Great Lakes do not get a lot of attention we deserve WTF?!!!
Someone once told me that when he was in the navy he waved to the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald while he was deporting to a post in Canada, a few years later that crew lost their lives to the lake. All I ask now is to cherish your families while you still have them. Even if you get mad at them sometimes, never say you hate them. You never know, maybe a family member got in a fight with one of the crew, and that was the last thing they did before the crew died.
I remember this storm very well. I live in Sault Ste. Marie, MI and this was the place the Fitz was heading for. I remember watching her go though the locks and never gave it a second thought. I wish I would have paid more attention. We only realize what we miss when it is gone forever.
When I was a little kid, I was fascinated with freighters, and I remember this being my favorite song. People seem to think that just because Superior is a lake, it's safe.
I love this song, it really memorializes the 29 crew members and the Captain that lost their lives in this terrible storm that night in November of 1975. My father prior to joining the Navy in WWII, was a crew member on the freighters on the Great Lakes. It is darn hard work and very dangerous, even in summer, those lakes can whip up like you wouldn't believe. Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian National Treasure, he is in American one too. God rest all of them and bless their families.
what a haunting song this is, and so very tragic.The lives of these men lives on in this song...........and what an amazing song it is.....god bless these men that lost their lives to the sea..................
I was certified in SCUBA in 1977, trained in hard-hat diving in '87. I've worked the North Atlantic in calm weather and storm season. I watched men be washed overboard, never to be seen again. I've witnessed friends - experienced hat divers - drown as their hoses were cut by debris in raging seas; I've nearly died numerous times myself, saved only by my own wits and the grace of God.
Each time I hear this song, I weep for the men lost in all waters, and the families left behind.
@RocketmanVT1: Thank you for your comment, friend. I served in Submarines from 1977 - 83, then Army from 1984 - 87. In '88 I became a scuba diver & a hardhat diver in '89. I worked inland for ~17 years, never saw the things you witnessed when I was a diver, but as a submariner I spent some time in VERY rough seas in the North Atlantic in winter. I can identify with what you wrote, at least to a degree; my heart goes out to those men & women, as well. May God be gracious to you, Friend.--RS
Let's pay tribute to all the men and woman who have served here on the great lakes whether they lie in Huron or Superior makes no difference. Whether the crew went down on a famous 730" freighter or a 83" 2 masted schooner. We should never forget
josephulton, how can I say this? THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU. My Uncle was on this ship in November of 75'. Every Christmas we raise a glass to him and play Gord's Song on our Stereo System. Is there any better tribute to anyone lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald? I love the lyrics: " In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed in the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral the Church Bell chimed til it rang 29 times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald...
Great post....Thanks for sharing......I remember that night. It was 4 days until I turned 16. Me and my dad was in our basement. He was listening to the radio, WJR and there was a news flash.
Lot of posts talking about "the lakes" --- who are you all trying to kid? The Great Lakes are simply INLAND SEAS.... and can be as rough and dangerous as an ocean... Being from Michgan myself I like a few other peeps here know all too well how those waters can change.
@Bear44mc Also what "coast" people don't consider is that the waves, when pushed by wind, do not act the same way as waves on saltwater oceans due to the differences in salinity. They do not curl the same way and by their very nature are far more unpredictable and dangerous. Fresh water is actually lighter by volume.
@OldDogZeroOne Lets not forget in the case of the Fitzgerald as she went down in the part of the lake was being contricted by the land, thus effect was magnified.. The crew really didnt have a chance.. a perfect storm in one view. May those 29 souls rest in peace...
Most people outside of North America probably don't realize that Lake Superior is really an inland freshwater sea. All five of the lakes are called "GREAT" for a reason.
@cf80to01 I live in Duluth and honestly every time i go anywhere that has a decent education system people know what lake superior is. It's funny because even though I live right next to it, I never think of how big of a deal it is to the rest of the world.
@cf80to01 or any of the Great Lakes for that matter! My family is from Sandusky, Ohio. I remember watching the waves come crashing against the seawalls and spray up to 20-30 ft. in the air in November. You have to see it to believe it!
This song moves me more now than when I first heard it in 1975, mostly because of this excellent video! What a blessing to keep such events in remembrance and empathize with those who succumbed to the effects of this storm, and those who grieved their loss.
One of my brothers teachers at mass maritime did his work study on the edmund fitzgerald in 1973. he knew most of the guys who died. Its pretty fucked up.
Justin Bieber kis a washout even before he unfortunately came our way. I say send him and his teenie followers back to his homeland. As u said give us more like Gordon Lightfoot. Karen from Virginia!!!!!!
@SHM1953 Agreed.....we ex sailors, and all sea going folk feel this tribute the most........Salute ladies and gents,to the men of the Edmund Fitzgerald!
Three of us were trying to recall this song for some reason three days ago....since i am senile, i was able to remember it was by Gordon Lightfoot, and it was the "Edmund Fitzgerald" and after searching for the best video to go along with that awesome piece of poetry....This is the very best one I found and i just want to thank you, josephulton, for sharing.....GREAT JOB!!!!
i am so lucky. my grandpa actually helped build this boat. he was asked if he wanted to ride it on the first time it left port. he refused because he didnt want to risk losing his family. he is a very lucky man. but he lost many friends on this boat.
@Voodoozeko that is normal thats footage of the first time the ship touched water it was the day the ship was"finished" they were getting it off the platform it was built on
@Voodoozeko Yes it damaged The Fitz it broke in half with the pilot house upright and the aft end upside down,like something had just twisted it into.I grew up on those frieghters and she was the longest we had,my dad was Capt. for the company,The Memorial service was heart wrenching.On Face Book there is a page for Colombia Transportation Oglebay Norton Division if you get a chance check out the photos of the Freighters they have on there. Good Day & God Bless
@Voodoozeko when the ship slid down sideways into the water no it did not damage the ship it was the combination of greed and mother nature that sunk her
Hey Hey Hey!!!!, Not fair lol! He was exposed publicly by Americans! We still have lots of great artists from Canada. Rush, The Guess Who, Tragically Hip, etc... Dont pigeon hole Canada with that Bieber goof! :)
@loveunderlaw Can't blame Canada completely. I think that Justin Bieber makes them look bad instead. Either he was mistaken cargo or the pirates stole the good ones and left us with the bad ones.
Great job with this video.
Christlovesanimals 16 hours ago
haunting video God bless them
stormy6454 1 day ago
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my gandfather was on this ship everytime i hear this song i cry it hurts to know he died HE WILL LIVE FOREVER IN OUR MEMORIES LIVE FOREVER
Ja1Ka11 1 day ago
my gandfather was on this ship everytime i hear this song i cry it hurts to know he died HE WILL LIVE FOREVER IN OUR MEMORIES LIVE FOREVER
Ja1Ka11 1 day ago
I agree the song is haunting. . .death comes quickly for some, are we ready?
Take care!!!
fwosmek 2 days ago
as a child this song use to kinda freak me out with the haunting guitar work. as an adult it is no doubt my favorite song from that era.......
restlessbreed10 2 days ago
R.I.P. and prayers for the families left behind.
MrRockjock13 3 days ago 3
I remember when this happened, I am still to this day saddened by the loss of these 29 men and their families left without husbands, fathers, and sons. RIP to you brave men, 29 rings of the bell to remember you.
mochroi 5 days ago 5
i noticed this is 910 and guess what...come 20 sumthin years later 1 day over 910 is 911
killapoons 6 days ago
*life
Lonewolfmichigan 1 week ago
I've only got to watch these massive freighters move down the bays,I'm always in awe.If I could live my over,it'd be on one of these,I'd be right at home,working hard.God Bless the Fitz and God Bless the men and women who command these ships.
Lonewolfmichigan 1 week ago 2
Very good. I love this Tribute.
Kirtis54 1 week ago 2
Thanks for this great tribute to the men and the ship. Being 47 years old, I remember when she sank. It really was sad. I go to Duluth MN from time to time, since I live near Minnapolis it' s only a 3 hour drive to Duluth.I realize Lake Supirior is nothing to screw around with, it truely is a fresh water ocean! Thanks again!!!
fwosmek 1 week ago 2
HE DELETED RocketmanVT1's COMMENT! THAT BASTARD!!!
lightningv 1 week ago
I think some of the footage of a carrier came off of the Sullivan during storms.
sgtrock66 1 week ago 2
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I love this song.
TheSuperCRASHer 1 week ago
This song is much more romantic than the ones they'll be singing about Costa Concordia.
PMSNyx 1 week ago 4
@tuthill99 That line didnt need to be changed, the line "at 7 p.m a main hatchway caved in" was changed to "at 7pm it grew dark it was then he said fellas its bin good to know ya" because the families of the crew thought that it portrayed the sinking as the crews fault
SuperRobinator123 1 week ago 2
Saw Gordon last night. Still kickin at 73 :) This song always moves me. Real stories and real tragedy. It is amazing that all the power we humans think we have and most every time we battle Nature we lose.
pmscalisi 1 week ago 2
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Tuthill99 2 weeks ago
I don't know how many times I've heard this song, but this video brought a whole new perspective on the tragedy. My heart goes out to the families after all these years. Thank You.
the0ldMan 2 weeks ago 2
There's a quiet resolve to this song that makes it more of a homage to those lost than a pop tune. It's a testament to the power of music. Job well done Mr Lightfoot, God bless.
dasboot19801 2 weeks ago 3
My Grandpa was in the Coast Guard and he watched the Fitzgerald leave and waved to the cook not to later they got a call that it was going down they tried to get out to water but the lake wouldnt give up her dead and my grandpa was forced not to help. I live in Wisconsin and he tells me this story ever Nov 11 and it get me every time.
Spac3Rox 2 weeks ago 4
if only more people would sit up and just listen to the words. i served in the USN and i can truly appreciate every one of the words in this song, because there's truth to it!!
TClee12 2 weeks ago 4
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours? The searchers all say they'd have made White Fish Bay if they'd put fifteen more miles behind her."
That part makes my stomach clench everytime I hear it...
KaizerHiwatari 2 weeks ago 5
This is one of the most Chilling shipping disasters of the last quarter of the 20th century...Made more horrific that it was tracked on Radar and there was nothing anyone could do about it. This song still gives me the chills!
2000Ajjet 2 weeks ago in playlist music 5
I was in the Navy in 1990, my ship was off the coast of Oregon when one of the choppers from the air det was 600 yards off our stern. Our Sr chief corpman said smoke started pouring from the starboard engine, then the craft flipped over and hit the water and sank like brick. All three crewmen were lost. Talk about a very hollow feeling.
RIP to the crew from HSL43 and the EFG. Far winds and following seas.
maxquad21 2 weeks ago 5
I was a freshman at Lake Superior State University the night the Fitz sank. I have never seen a storm like that in my life. Not even 30 + years later. I still get goosebumps when I here this song. You couldnt even walk agains the wind on campus......What a night, what a song.
JRoccoMarz 2 weeks ago 4
Our friends from school lost their father on this ship.Russell G. Haskell,40 second assistant engineer.Millbury,Ohio his son's name " our classmate & our friend name" Larry. Haskell he attended Genoa Area school district.Genoa,Oh. Not to long after they lost their father the Haskells home caught fire.We lost contact with Larry his older sister & mother over the yrs, not sure what ever happened to them. I have always wondered if any of them have ever watched this video. RIP Captain & Crew.
wxyz483 2 weeks ago 18
Saw Gordie play in Stratford he still sounds good well into his seventies.........
mckessa17 2 weeks ago 5
I have seen this video countless times..... on of the best videos on the Tube! I have no idea how u managed to get all this footage unless ur in the production end of the news biz?? But I hope this stays up a long time!
Al (Idolx2)
IdolxMuzic 2 weeks ago 7
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You can visit; exploring the north dot com ;it has other links related to Great Lake Shipwreck Museum Whitefish Point & Lake Superior.
wxyz483 2 weeks ago 2
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wxyz483 2 weeks ago
I just wish that other people could respect all of the men and woman who now stand watch for the sunken fleet. FItz was just one ship.
dillonsacra 2 weeks ago
OMIGOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHO THE FFFFFFFFFLLLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPP COULD DISLIKE THIS??????
MeBeDeadLikeThatLady 2 weeks ago
...the news of the Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking after arriving at my girlfriend's parents' house at almost 10 pm. that night. I was amazed by the violence of that storm and wasn't surprised by the sinking of any ship on the lakes that night, looking back from a distance of over 36 years now, what stands out to me was my luck, or rather, my guardian angel who helped me make it through that storm that others unfortunately perished in.
PetericL 3 weeks ago
On November 10th, 1975 This ex-marine was on leave and heading to visit his girlfriend in Willowdale, Ontario from Canton,Ohio. Although the day started partly sunny and mild by the time I was crossing the Niagara Peninsula that evening the wind was blowing in excess of 40 miles an hour and a torrential downpour was falling. My 1973 Gremlin was being pushed of the highways by the strong northwest crosswind and several times I almost wrecked but by the grace of God I made it and then learned...
PetericL 3 weeks ago
As a Wisconsin native I've heard this song many times and it's just as haunting a song now as it was when it was written.
Ogre730 3 weeks ago 2
Thank you,I enjoyed the video.
SouthernFriedWays 3 weeks ago
its amazing that the great lakes particularly superior can be more powerful than many oceans rip the crew of the fitzgerald
SuperRobinator123 3 weeks ago
Gordon Lightfoot did well when he brought this event to national light. Else, it would have likely been forgotten like yesterday's car crash. His complex work of art to produce a statement of fact should never be received as just a song. It should warn our kids, and mean many things. Who and where are we? Where are we going? What do we want to become? Let's all buy and build and trash ever bigger and bigger and bigger? Or maybe think about it. Just saying... Although, extinction is permanent.
spacetruckinmf 3 weeks ago
That was an older crew than I thought.
woody7141 3 weeks ago
The only time that the light went out off whitefishpointe in michigan, was the night the ship went down, but even if the light had been on and the diaphone screaming out it still would not have saved her for it was the waves and loose bulkheads that did her in. still the song is haunting like an old sea chanty, it was even sadder though she was the largest freighter on the greatlakes at the time she was built but size could not save her.
manga12 3 weeks ago
@manga12 wont say loose bulkheads...will say the bottom came out from under her and the hull snapprd
mrallen816 3 weeks ago
That might have been what done her the fatal blow, but I heard loose bulkheads that were not watertight got water in her first, that is according to the history channel.
manga12 2 weeks ago
i have watched this twice and will continue to do so-chills each time-God Bless You and Them...
stacianne1 3 weeks ago
I am from Wisconsin and i was a little boy when this happened.Gordon put a twist on this that has always haunted my soul.... There will never be a song , ever this good !!!!!
buckybadger10001 3 weeks ago
Truly haunting. It's one of those songs that just sort of stuns you into silence. Of all of Gordon Lightfoot's great songs, none are more stirring and poignant.
odinen0912 3 weeks ago
awesome, God Bless them all! Fabulous song
jmblnh 3 weeks ago in playlist my favorites
BTW if you go to to Tobermory and then take the MS Chi-Cheemaun to Manitoulin island and some where on that island in a store but a good store there is a painting of the Edmund Fitzgerald $70. i got the smaller thing of the boat all show it some time on my channel.
300Dnikon 3 weeks ago
good song it is truly a sad song but i love i wish i could see the boat up close
300Dnikon 3 weeks ago
right on video, thank you
psychedelicsam1 3 weeks ago in playlist video hall of fame ( 2 )
I watched it again this morning, and I must admit I cried - so sad. I realize it wasn't the Titanic with 1500+ souls lost, but, nevertheless they were people. And she went down so dang fast - holy crap! Thanks again for the AWESOEME video!!!
fwosmek 3 weeks ago
Truly haunting, for it echoed through out the church. But this experience was what I took with me to my parents funeral the following year. Thanks Dad!! I love and miss you!!
AngiesGirlAgain2011 3 weeks ago
When I was 20, My father, a 21 year veteran of Naval Service, had our family gather together to attend the funeral services for these men in the Old Mariners Church in downtown Detroit.It was the most honorable service I have ever attended and what has stuck with me all these years, was the bell, the way it rang through the church, and yes.. once for every man who went down on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
AngiesGirlAgain2011 3 weeks ago
I was 8 years old when I first heard this song. My friend's mom performed it for our second grade class. Over twenty years later, and I still can't forget how haunting the song sounds to me.
xeonicus1 3 weeks ago
if u where born in november and from the minnesota u love this song
prowresler 3 weeks ago
A great song. A tragic story. May the heavens watch over the souls of the Fitzgerald. May the heavens watch over us all.
BOTANYBAY37 3 weeks ago
I'll never forget when that date, I was celebrating my 26th Birthday when heard the news I asked everyone to please lets have a moment of silence, you could hear a pin drop, my prayers to the families, its a birthday I wont forget
ratfink522001 3 weeks ago
I'm going to be truthful here. I don't like the song. If someone else sang it maybe, maybe a different tune, i don't know. Yet, I love the song. The meaning I mean. Who it's dedicated to and all
Tr0p1ca10as1s 3 weeks ago
these were REAL men
Varangian1915 3 weeks ago 2
oh aye, rocketman. what a Godawful sad song. We had the filming of the Perfect Storm used one of our local boats, to star as the fishing boat captained by Billy Tyne. They gave a special screening here in Manahawkin, all the salty old sea skippers were there and not a dry eye in the house
pineygrrl1 4 weeks ago 2
To think people still search for this song after 35 years shows what a classic haunting song this is. Fantastic clip. Well done. RIP to the crew and condolences to those left behind. Wierd tho how I woke at 4.50 am with this song in my head?? Just hope its not a premonition on how this year will be!!
bnetolldnataman 4 weeks ago
There's something haunting and seriously human about this song. When the cook says " Fellas, it's been good to know ya " gets me everytime.
oneleggedspider 4 weeks ago 46
@oneleggedspider "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minuets to hours....."
May their spirits find peace.
dmmeyer2006 3 weeks ago
@oneleggedspider yeah i agree its a great line, does anyone know why it had to be changed?
Tuthill99 2 weeks ago
@oneleggedspider When I was a child I would cry hysterically everytime I would hear this song. I remember having this overwhelming feeling of my parents having died. I would be inconsolable for hours and wouldn't let my parents out of my sight. The words are difficult to understand, so I don't think I could have been upset by the story being told. I definitely was too young to comprehend the actual news of the wreck around that time. Just one of those unexplainable things.
Onlymanolos 2 days ago
@Onlymanolos Also the song Wildfire by Michael Martin Murphy. Guess I was just a weird kid. :)
Onlymanolos 2 days ago
I remember this, still makes me cry today,,
Xbox1011Blowz 4 weeks ago
i was a div 1 deck hand,seaman.i seen a man get cut into by a 4 inch marlin tightened and pulled apart whipping about like the devil himself,we were refueling from a uss navy oiler.both ships rolled to its far sides and king neptune made a appearance.i am a silver shellback that knows the mysteries of the seas ,my freind died on died in 3 minutes,the choppy seas did not matter,it was the deep drink for him,we buried him at sea.the whole crew of 218 men were on deck crying dressed in our whites
rotekgearcutter 4 weeks ago
Now, I always loved Gordon Lightfoot's material. However, I was quite embarrassed to find out a few years ago that this song was not just a great piece of writing, that it was based on a true event. It's funny how certain details of favortie songs and/or films escape you when you're young.
EstelleVEdwards 1 month ago
i live in the east i have a snowcrab gear i got a 45 foot boat with a top deck. and i take in 23000lbs at a time witch is pushing it. my love go's too all the family's. HOPE THE FISH LORDS TREAT THEM GOOD. if knot let me know
MultiChevy111 1 month ago
If you get the chance, visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point on the Upper peninsula of Michigan. The Edmund Fitzgerald's bell is there. The only artifact removed from the wreck site. (it was replaced with a bell engraved with the names of the 29 lost)
odarolocerehwono 1 month ago
@odarolocerehwono I was there I took some cool pictures but they didn't come out right D:
but I saw it and Big model of the Big Fitz ]
pancaikmix45 1 month ago
There is a Chipmunks version in recommended videos? hey make me wanna cry ): The Midwest and the Great Lakes do not get a lot of attention we deserve WTF?!!!
pancaikmix45 1 month ago
Someone once told me that when he was in the navy he waved to the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald while he was deporting to a post in Canada, a few years later that crew lost their lives to the lake. All I ask now is to cherish your families while you still have them. Even if you get mad at them sometimes, never say you hate them. You never know, maybe a family member got in a fight with one of the crew, and that was the last thing they did before the crew died.
SleekFurForever 1 month ago
I remember this storm very well. I live in Sault Ste. Marie, MI and this was the place the Fitz was heading for. I remember watching her go though the locks and never gave it a second thought. I wish I would have paid more attention. We only realize what we miss when it is gone forever.
yooper0987 1 month ago in playlist Favorite videos
When I was a little kid, I was fascinated with freighters, and I remember this being my favorite song. People seem to think that just because Superior is a lake, it's safe.
KittyRokher 1 month ago
I love this song, it really memorializes the 29 crew members and the Captain that lost their lives in this terrible storm that night in November of 1975. My father prior to joining the Navy in WWII, was a crew member on the freighters on the Great Lakes. It is darn hard work and very dangerous, even in summer, those lakes can whip up like you wouldn't believe. Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian National Treasure, he is in American one too. God rest all of them and bless their families.
solodrums08 1 month ago
wow any us remember when america built ships?...I do but im old....sad
Dojocho 1 month ago
RIP!!
kosh2001 1 month ago in playlist 1.1 Music
Thanks so much, the immense imagery of this video is blowing my mind, God bless the great men of this ship on this mighty body of mother nature!
treetoptop 1 month ago
what a haunting song this is, and so very tragic.The lives of these men lives on in this song...........and what an amazing song it is.....god bless these men that lost their lives to the sea..................
Rhiannon18g 1 month ago
I was certified in SCUBA in 1977, trained in hard-hat diving in '87. I've worked the North Atlantic in calm weather and storm season. I watched men be washed overboard, never to be seen again. I've witnessed friends - experienced hat divers - drown as their hoses were cut by debris in raging seas; I've nearly died numerous times myself, saved only by my own wits and the grace of God.
Each time I hear this song, I weep for the men lost in all waters, and the families left behind.
RocketmanVT1 1 month ago 73
@RocketmanVT1 Wow, I respect your work and God bless u my friend.
treetoptop 1 month ago
@RocketmanVT1 aye
rotekgearcutter 4 weeks ago
@RocketmanVT1: Thank you for your comment, friend. I served in Submarines from 1977 - 83, then Army from 1984 - 87. In '88 I became a scuba diver & a hardhat diver in '89. I worked inland for ~17 years, never saw the things you witnessed when I was a diver, but as a submariner I spent some time in VERY rough seas in the North Atlantic in winter. I can identify with what you wrote, at least to a degree; my heart goes out to those men & women, as well. May God be gracious to you, Friend.--RS
JudahtheWolf 4 weeks ago
\\@RocketmanVT1 God Bless, for you and yours.
BamaBred85 3 weeks ago
@RocketmanVT1
My Dad was a Hard-Hat diver in the late 40's his last dive was a week after my mom told him she was pregnant with me.
chucktheshonk 3 weeks ago
@RocketmanVT1 as a us.navy vet,from the 7th fleet,I can imaginine what happened/hpw it felt.
usnvet1 3 weeks ago
@RocketmanVT1 Great post.
Goethewrote 1 week ago
@RocketmanVT1
Best comment I have read on Youtube. I don't care if this happened to you or not, you're telling the truth.
EdgarAllen 1 week ago
love it thanks
d1sailer 1 month ago
Through tear-filled eyes, thanks for posting this.
trinketbox1 1 month ago
Awesome tribute... very professional.
nahndeskript 1 month ago
What a wonderful tribute! At 47 years old I remember when she sank. Once again, thanks very much for this video!!!
fwosmek 1 month ago
every year in michigan we salute and pray on this video and the wreck of the edmund fitzgerald
TheLoisAsh 1 month ago
@TheHED92 it's his accent he's Canadian
MsRobinator123 1 month ago
Let's pay tribute to all the men and woman who have served here on the great lakes whether they lie in Huron or Superior makes no difference. Whether the crew went down on a famous 730" freighter or a 83" 2 masted schooner. We should never forget
dillonsacra 1 month ago
she was a bone to be chew'd
TheIronicIdiot 1 month ago
A better tribute could not have been written..........thx Gordon........and a hearty tear filled salute to The Men of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
pdddddp1 1 month ago
Hands dwn dopest dope I've ever smoked.
TheOGNIGHTHAWK 1 month ago
i was just about to go into basic training in the air force in nov 75 when i heard about this. i heard the song in 76.
imdavid666 1 month ago
God is one of the best, if not THE best. I was born in '75, this song has always been one of my all time favorites. What a tribute to those men. :)
DCDOTCF 1 month ago
josephulton, how can I say this? THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU. My Uncle was on this ship in November of 75'. Every Christmas we raise a glass to him and play Gord's Song on our Stereo System. Is there any better tribute to anyone lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald? I love the lyrics: " In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed in the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral the Church Bell chimed til it rang 29 times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald...
robtuohy1 1 month ago
Great post....Thanks for sharing......I remember that night. It was 4 days until I turned 16. Me and my dad was in our basement. He was listening to the radio, WJR and there was a news flash.
returnunopen 1 month ago
I have attended the bell ringing every year at Belle Isle since i was 16. I do find it funny that of the 29 men lost, only one was from Michigan.
BlackPlague420 1 month ago
this is beautiful
xev1435 1 month ago
Fantastic tribute. Thanks for the hard work and the post.
TheRamsesII 1 month ago
This guy slurs. Is it just me?
TheHED92 1 month ago
A wonderful tribute to that fine ship and crew.
MrMark702 1 month ago
I guess the 77 dislikes are the people that are into today's joke of music...like rap!!!
TDEEDT 1 month ago 2
Lot of posts talking about "the lakes" --- who are you all trying to kid? The Great Lakes are simply INLAND SEAS.... and can be as rough and dangerous as an ocean... Being from Michgan myself I like a few other peeps here know all too well how those waters can change.
Bear44mc 1 month ago
@Bear44mc Also what "coast" people don't consider is that the waves, when pushed by wind, do not act the same way as waves on saltwater oceans due to the differences in salinity. They do not curl the same way and by their very nature are far more unpredictable and dangerous. Fresh water is actually lighter by volume.
OldDogZeroOne 1 month ago
@OldDogZeroOne Lets not forget in the case of the Fitzgerald as she went down in the part of the lake was being contricted by the land, thus effect was magnified.. The crew really didnt have a chance.. a perfect storm in one view. May those 29 souls rest in peace...
Bear44mc 1 month ago
@ loveunderlaw A song about a legendary, memorial pride, and the top comment has to do with Justin Bieber..
It's people like you who make youtube full of idiots.
TravisDaLuca 1 month ago
I grew up ten miles into the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River from Lake Ontario. Winter on the Lakes is ~not~ for the faint of heart!
rainbowsnbubbles 1 month ago
The newsman was Harry Reasoner, who appeared for many years on 60 Minutes and filled in for Walter Cronkite on The CBS Evening News..
magold16 1 month ago
@magold16 thank you i racked my brain trying to remember who that newscaster was i was thinking murrah
kix96fan 1 month ago
great tribute...great music...just great...leave it at that???
DerekBudd40 1 month ago
I believe it was Frank Reynolds that did the report.
kevinkpk1 1 month ago
29 men RIP beautiful tribute
imwhitewolf 1 month ago
A proper tribute to those men and the ship they served. Be at peace gentlemen. You earned your rest.
dianaAthemiscyra 1 month ago
Such a beautiful and haunting song!
MinnesotaDave17 1 month ago
Most people outside of North America probably don't realize that Lake Superior is really an inland freshwater sea. All five of the lakes are called "GREAT" for a reason.
cf80to01 1 month ago 2
@cf80to01 I live in Duluth and honestly every time i go anywhere that has a decent education system people know what lake superior is. It's funny because even though I live right next to it, I never think of how big of a deal it is to the rest of the world.
rallyfan101 1 month ago
@rallyfan101 That was my point. There is a big difference between what most people consider a lake and what the reality of Superior is.
cf80to01 1 month ago
@cf80to01 or any of the Great Lakes for that matter! My family is from Sandusky, Ohio. I remember watching the waves come crashing against the seawalls and spray up to 20-30 ft. in the air in November. You have to see it to believe it!
vancechristopher 1 month ago 2
love the pic at 4.00
raphaelmaraki 1 month ago in playlist Favorite videos
Michigan. <3
totaldramailand1 1 month ago
Am Moved to tears as well.
tomuchtine 1 month ago
After so many years of knowing and loving this song...I see this video and I am moved to tears. Thank you for giving a face to the victims.
shjakes 1 month ago
This song moves me more now than when I first heard it in 1975, mostly because of this excellent video! What a blessing to keep such events in remembrance and empathize with those who succumbed to the effects of this storm, and those who grieved their loss.
EODBAO 1 month ago
May the 29 brave crewmen of the Edmund Fitzgerald Rest In Peace
penguinsnap 1 month ago in playlist PRESONTATION 36
Fantastic tribute towards a dreadfull disaster !!
breffnipark 1 month ago
Give Gordon Lightfoot and Joseph Fulton their due for this wonderful tribute to the 29 men lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
kenkarsh 1 month ago
Fine job on this video.
brelfan 1 month ago
the canadiens sent us Neil Young though
MrCarlwh 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I love this song
xXThrashyRashyXx 1 month ago
Classic...x
TheNEK1995 1 month ago
This is a wonderful video tribute to the men lost.
mskittyvaleria 1 month ago 3
This has been flagged as spam show
"I wish Canada would send us more exports like Gordon Lightfoot, but NO they had to send us Justin Bieber instead :("
Sorry dude. We actually had Bieiber made in China. Just like everything today, it's cheap and doesn't last long.
videoclipits 1 month ago
the best tribute song ever created!
truly epic
bailey66rogers 1 month ago 3
One of my brothers teachers at mass maritime did his work study on the edmund fitzgerald in 1973. he knew most of the guys who died. Its pretty fucked up.
a1stooge 1 month ago 3
Justin Bieber kis a washout even before he unfortunately came our way. I say send him and his teenie followers back to his homeland. As u said give us more like Gordon Lightfoot. Karen from Virginia!!!!!!
1952roadrunner 1 month ago 2
"when the waves turn the minutes to hours"
Anyone who has spent any time on a boat offshore knows that feeling.
SHM1953 1 month ago in playlist Favorite videos
@SHM1953 Agreed.....we ex sailors, and all sea going folk feel this tribute the most........Salute ladies and gents,to the men of the Edmund Fitzgerald!
pdddddp1 1 month ago
Three of us were trying to recall this song for some reason three days ago....since i am senile, i was able to remember it was by Gordon Lightfoot, and it was the "Edmund Fitzgerald" and after searching for the best video to go along with that awesome piece of poetry....This is the very best one I found and i just want to thank you, josephulton, for sharing.....GREAT JOB!!!!
TheMindy311 1 month ago 2
lightfoot's masterpiece
wingman572 1 month ago
Awesome job with the editing and collection of information.
It leaves no doubt about the horrible tragedy.
shamrock4500 1 month ago
Still gives me goosebumps, Mr Lightfoot is 1 of our National treasures.
thanks for posting this.
shamrock4500 1 month ago
freakin awsome
MrDannysuzy 1 month ago
i am so lucky. my grandpa actually helped build this boat. he was asked if he wanted to ride it on the first time it left port. he refused because he didnt want to risk losing his family. he is a very lucky man. but he lost many friends on this boat.
bramboh97gametester 1 month ago
74 people didn't make it off a sinking ship
MsRobinator123 1 month ago
so so sad:((((((
TheTaylor138 1 month ago
This is a song about history.
AndrewFielder8585 1 month ago
I, too, didn't know that this was a recent sad event. What a sweet memorial for all those brave husbands, fathers, sons and brothers.
marta5732010 1 month ago
THE 74 IDIOTS WHO DISLIKED THIS HAVE WIELDED CHEAP CHINESE SWORDS IN FEEBLE HANDS AGAINST THUNDER TO WITCH THEY WERE MERE FARTS.
007bondspy 1 month ago
Is from 0:35 to 0:38 normal? I mean didnt that damage ship?
Voodoozeko 1 month ago
@Voodoozeko that is normal thats footage of the first time the ship touched water it was the day the ship was"finished" they were getting it off the platform it was built on
cokeforcoke 1 month ago
@cokeforcoke So it didnt damage ship?
Voodoozeko 1 month ago
@Voodoozeko Yes it damaged The Fitz it broke in half with the pilot house upright and the aft end upside down,like something had just twisted it into.I grew up on those frieghters and she was the longest we had,my dad was Capt. for the company,The Memorial service was heart wrenching.On Face Book there is a page for Colombia Transportation Oglebay Norton Division if you get a chance check out the photos of the Freighters they have on there. Good Day & God Bless
ladykane101 1 month ago
@ladykane101 thanks for the link to FB page for Colombia transportation Oglebay Norton Div.
wbonney 1 month ago
@Voodoozeko when the ship slid down sideways into the water no it did not damage the ship it was the combination of greed and mother nature that sunk her
cokeforcoke 1 month ago
@cokeforcoke Thx for info.
Voodoozeko 1 month ago
And the power of man can be diminished or destroyed by nature (sorry I hit send on that last line)
MsRobinator123 1 month ago
It's amazing how quickly huge ships ans
MsRobinator123 1 month ago
That was heavy.
rbreton59 1 month ago
great men on that ship working and doing there jobs, love you guys your hero's.
buffff57 1 month ago
Thanx for mentionin' all the men on the Fitzgerald.
DaveWollenberg 1 month ago
I wish Canada would send us more exports like Gordon Lightfoot, but NO they had to send us Justin Bieber instead :(
loveunderlaw 1 month ago 45
@loveunderlaw
Hey Hey Hey!!!!, Not fair lol! He was exposed publicly by Americans! We still have lots of great artists from Canada. Rush, The Guess Who, Tragically Hip, etc... Dont pigeon hole Canada with that Bieber goof! :)
Cobrakaredfire 1 month ago 2
@Cobrakaredfire hay don't forget about shania twain
fish1648 1 month ago
@loveunderlaw your problem now
LoganBlackP 1 month ago in playlist Favorite videos
@loveunderlaw y would u compare that 2 this song this song is a classic
dantatbla 1 month ago
@loveunderlaw Can't blame Canada completely. I think that Justin Bieber makes them look bad instead. Either he was mistaken cargo or the pirates stole the good ones and left us with the bad ones.
NostalgicTimeMan 1 month ago